After reaching the alley, Ren pulled out his phone as Morgana hopped out of his bag.
"So… I've had this app come back repeatedly since I arrived in Tokyo. I've deleted it at least twice," Ren said, tilting the screen. "Cute logo, huh?"
Looking at the icon, Ryuji sort of stammered.
"Uhh… that's, uh… one way to put it, I guess."
Morgana hopped up onto Ren's shoulder and squinted at the screen.
"Ren, how did you figure out this thing might've taken you there?"
Ren paused, realizing the validity of the question. He pointed at the navigation bar labeled:
-NAME / LOCATION / DISTORTION -
Then he scrolled to the recent list.
** Kamoshida's Castle of Lust **
Location: - Kamoshida, Shujin, Castle -
"I'm not accusing you or anything, it's just—" Morgana began.
"I know," Ren replied. "It's too convenient. But it's all we've got right now. There's clearly a connection."
"I did think I heard 'Beginning Navigation' at some point," Ryuji said slowly. "But I had a headache, so I figured it was just someone outside the alley…"
"Well," Ren said, thumb hovering over the screen, "let's test it then?"
"Yeah, dude!" Ryuji grinned as Morgana hopped off Ren's shoulder.
"Ready?" Ren said. "Three… two—"
Ryuji impatiently pressed the button.
The world lurched and an alarm blared.
"—oh SHIT—!"
They dove into the bushes as guards flooded the courtyard.
"Damn it," Ryuji hissed. "They're everywhere… how do we—"
"FIND THEM. FIND THEM NOW."
The enraged shout echoed from the drawbridge.
Kamoshida stood there, a crown perched atop his head, arrogance carved into his face. He wore a royal shawl...And a speedo.
It would have been funny—if not for his lustful gaze fixed on a blonde, twin-tailed girl standing beside him.
Who was wearing…
"A bikini? What a meowvelous girl!" Morgana exclaimed, pupils turning into hearts.
'What am I looking at…' Ren thought, staring in exhausted disbelief at the not-cat.
"TAKAMAKI?!" Ryuji shouted, springing to his feet.
"Dumbass!" Morgana yelled.
"Shit."
Ren and Morgana leapt up as blue flames burst around them. Ren ripped off his mask.
"PERSONA!"
"Zorro!"
"Well, mi amigo," Zorro quipped, pulling out a boxing glove, "looks like a spot of trouble, eh?"
POW!
The glove slammed into an oncoming Shadow, dropping it instantly.
"One more!" Morgana cheered, slashing forward with his cutlass.
"Arsène! Eiha!" Ren commanded.
His energy drained as a heavy sphere formed in front of him. It launched forward with deadly precision, striking a guard through the chest and disintegrating it before it could assume its true form.
BOOM.
Two horned horses stomped down onto Ren and Morgana.
"Gah—!"
'Bicorn! We need Zio!' Ren thought desperately.
Then confusion hit.
'What is Zio? Why do I know these Shadows are called Bicorn?'
"Well, well, well," Kamoshida sneered. "If it isn't the criminal scum and the track traitor. They always say thieves return to the scene of the crime."
"EFF YOU, KAMOSHIDA!" Ryuji shouted, struggling as a guard restrained him. "TAKAMAKI, GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"
"Ew," she said flatly. "You two are, like… so weird."
Ryuji's eyes widened.
"It's just a cognition, Ryuji!" Morgana shouted.
"Huh—?"
KRAK.
Kamoshida punched Ryuji square in the face, then spat on him.
"Didn't learn your lesson last time?" Kamoshida sneered.
"Look, you do something impulsive, and your friends suffer for it. Just like before."
"If I'd known you'd break so easily," he continued, "I wouldn't have broken your leg just yet."
Ren and Morgana froze.
Ryuji grit his teeth, blood dripping from his nose as he glared up at the king.
"Oh? He didn't tell you?" Kamoshida laughed.
"He talked back to me during practice, so I put him in his place. Broke his leg. In self-defense of course. He was rabid—like a dog."
"Ryuji…" Morgana whispered.
"Ryuji, don't—" Ren began.
"It's your fault they're going to die," Kamoshida interrupted.
"Maybe I'll break your leg again and dispose of them. How's that?"
"—DON'T LISTEN TO HIS BULLSHIT!" Ren shouted.
"Eh?" Kamoshida scoffed, stomping toward Ren.
"Every time I see you, you give me that look. No respect, no fear—"
Ren spat blood at his feet.
KRAK.
A fist slammed into Ren's stomach.
"Hah… hahahaha…"
Ryuji started laughing.
"FUCK—you're right," he said, eyes flashing gold.
"What am I doing?!"
A shockwave exploded outward, throwing the guards off Ren and Morgana. Ren barely caught Morgana before he was blown away.
"Whoa…" Morgana breathed. "Ryuji has the potential too…"
"I thought about what you said," Ren said to Morgana.
"If our Shadows are defined by those in control… then rebelling against that is embracing our true selves." He concluded, watching Ryuji.
"ARRRRRRRGH!"
Ryuji screamed, stumbling as a metallic skull mask formed over his face.
"You made me wait quite a while," a voice echoed in his head.
"You wish for power, correct? Then let us make a pact."
"Let's go!" Ryuji roared, tearing at the mask.
"I am thou. Thou art I.
....The skull of rebellion shall be your flag henceforth!"
Ryuji screamed—half rage, half relief—as blue flames engulfed him.
"Shit—NOT ANOTHER ONE!" Kamoshida shrieked.
"Guards!"
He scrambled onto a Bicorn and fled.
"WHAM!"
Ryuji leapt into the air and slammed down onto a Shadow's head with an iron pipe.
He stood tall in his new attire:
A black jumpsuit with a high popped collar.
Elbow and knee pads.
A metal vertebral column running down his back.
A red ascot.
Combat boots.
Yellow gloves with metal knuckles.
And a black metallic skull mask.
"Right on, Persona," he said, cracking his knuckles.
Ren and Morgana stepped up beside him.
"Blow them away! Captain Kidd!" Ryuji yelled.